I dated this guy for a couple of years and I thought he was “the one”. The one to put the ring on my finger, the one to sweep me off my feet and the one that I would be with until death do us part… at least that’s what I thought. Those were my plans. In the end, my life did not end in the fairytale romance, we broke up and my world of a twenty-year-old was shattered. Tragic, I know. But the problem was it was extremely tragic for me. My heart broke, I was angry and I felt literally lost. The person that I idolized left me, the person that I made a false god told me that I was not enough for him.

The ironic thing was that I was mad at God for ending it. I was blinded because I was so infatuated with the idea of romance that is prevalent in our society. If you are in one of those romances I hope it works out for you, it just hasn’t worked out for me. So what do you do when God says no? This isn’t step by step guide or “how to,” but just what I’ve learned in the last year.

When God says no, it’s hard to accept, at least it was for me, because what I have found is that it doesn’t line with my plan. He was supposed to say yes so I could get that job, be with that person, or have it correspond with my plans for my life; the problem is our plans are never our plans and our lives are not our own. Jeremiah 29:11 says-“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” As a college student at Iowa State University, and heartbroken one, this verse was something that I leaned on for comfort but also something that terrified me.

If we break this verse into two parts, we see that God knows the plans that he has for us. He knows. Plain and simple. The Lord of the universe is not limited by time or space. He has already been to the past, present and the future, so why does that stir anxiety in me? Is it doubt? Is it lack of faith? Or is it because I may hold God to a faulted human standard, when God surpasses all human standards. A human standard that has failed me time and time again, when the Bible clearly states that love never fails. God is love and He will never fail. God loved us so much that He gave His only son to die for us (John 3:16), and if there was one person on this earth He would have done the same thing.

He wants the reconciliation, He wants us to feel His love and He wants to trust in Him because he is good and He does things for our good. He assures us that he his plans are to give us hope and a future. It might feel like the world is ending and your heart is breaking, but feelings are fickle and it was not a feeling that kept Jesus on the Cross.

-Keyana Williams

]]>http://every1one.org/2017/05/22/when-god-says-no/feed/04923Spiritual Beautyhttp://every1one.org/2017/04/19/spiritual-beauty/
http://every1one.org/2017/04/19/spiritual-beauty/#respondWed, 19 Apr 2017 20:48:23 +0000http://every1one.org/?p=4829We as children of God should begin to change the way we look at people, especially when it comes to love. I notice so many people who are only concerned about one thing, looks. We get so wrapped up in the outward appearance we forget appreciating a person’s true beauty is seeing the spirit inside of them. I see so many brothers and sisters concerned only with the physical qualities of a potential mate. One cannot count how many great individuals are overlooked because they do not fit the mold of worldly standards of beauty.

What happens when our decisions on choosing partners are governed only by what the eye sees?-We miss out. We miss out on amazing Godly relationships. We miss out on walking through life with people who understand that a partnership is much more than physical attraction, but it isa joint mission.

When it comes to finding a future spouse we must understand that God looks at things differently than we do. Ladies you may be looking to see if he is tall, dark, and handsome. All the while God is looking to see if he is strong, courageous, and faithful. Guys you may be looking to see if she is curvaceous and appealing physically, but God is looking to see if she is kind.

We see this in 1 Samuel 16:7; God commands Samuel to find the new king of Israel. As Samuel embarks on this journey, it is apparent he has preconceived notions about what it means to be a king. As Samuel makes great efforts to find a king, his path crosses with a man names Eliab. Eliab is the personification of strength. “Surely this is the Lord’s anointed,” says Samuel upon seeing this vision of a supposed king. But to Samuel’s surprise, God is not in agreement. The Lord says to him, “Samuel do not look at his appearance or height because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord sees the heart.”

Turns out we are not so different from Samuel. Samuel was in search of the new king of Israel just as many of us are in search of the kings and queens of our hearts. And just like Samuel we often overlook what is truly important. The heart. Many of us may have found someone who we think is perfect but just as God spoke to Samuel and said “I have rejected him,” God may speak to us and say “not him” or “not her.” God does this because he loves us and wants the absolute best for us in all aspects of our lives.

I am sure Eliab would have made a perfectly acceptable king had he been chosen. But instead God lead Samuel to choose another. And later in the story we see God speak to Samuel saying, “this is the one, anoint him.” And the man God chose was named David, but you may know him as King David.

God will always choose the best for us, but we must be willing to trust him we he says no and have the faith to follow him when he says go.

“Nothing reminds us of an awakening more than rain.” ― Dejan Stojanovic

Anyone who knows me knows that I can NOT stand rain. I hate getting soaked. I hate wet shoes and damp socks. I hate wet hair especially since I have natural hair which immediately goes into its original state when touched by water. I hate thunder and I hate lightening unless I’m curled in my bed. Truth be told I think I hate rain solely because I hate umbrellas. I hate buying and using them because they honestly feel like way too much work. The wind is usually so strong that your umbrella flips inside out and you end up soaked like a wet puppy. Either this or you have to carry one of those big umbrellas which can be easily mistaken for a bazooka and is the most inconvenient thing. Urgh Rain!

Beginning of the summer I decided to start my plant family and I bought 5 little plants that I was going to take great care of. I got all sorts of books from the library on how to take care of them and was forever on Pinterest saving gardening ideas. As always with me things did not fully go as planned. Within a few weeks my basil plant was essentially dead. It looked withered, dry, was discolored and was definitely not fit to be used for cooking. I had decided to throw out my plant but by the time I got to it there was a thunderstorm. After two days I went out to throw it and to my surprise the plant was alive. My mouth dropped when I saw that it had grown new leaves, the leaves were green and it looked fresh. Life! That’s a picture!

We all know that a plant NEEDS water but what does a plant use it for? Of course I’m a nerd and decided to do a little research. I found that a plant uses water for four main things; germination, photosynthesis, nutrients transfer and transpiration. Grow anything defines these stages as follows:

Germination – Germination starts when a seed is provided with water as long as the temperature is appropriate. Water helps cause seeds or spores to sprout or to sprout or form new tissue following increased metabolism. A seed needs water to activate the enzymes that orchestrate the germination process. Absorbed water also causes the seed to swell and soften which makes it possible for the plant to break through.

Photosynthesis – photosynthesis (literally “putting together” or “synthesizing” light) produces food for the plant by combining light energy, carbon dioxide and water, each of which (along with nutrients from the soil) is needed in order for the plant to grow.

Nutrient Transfer – Water is a necessary conduit for the transfer of nutrients from the soil and into the root system. Without it, the soil’s nutrients could not be absorbed by the plant.

Transpiration – The process of giving off vapor containing water and waste products, especially through the stomata on leaves or the pores of the skin. Transpiration Allows the intake of carbon dioxide from the air, cools the plant and causes nutrients and water to flow throughout the plant, thereby feeding and hydrating it.

Water is clearly very important for the plant. Many of its processes require water. Get to the point Mwape!!

God has really renewed my mind on my perception of rain. The rain has become a symbol of hope for me because I know it renews, restores and revitalizes. Rain brings many blessings; there’s a popular phrase where I live… “April showers bring May flowers.” The beauty of spring is that flowers begin to clothe themselves in different colors, rainbows come out to play and the air smells like hope. In the same way when God rains down on us our spirits are revived and newness takes place.

Germination=Mind blown! What seed has God placed in you and what is needed to get that seed to sprout? Water! The term metabolism is commonly used to refer specifically to the breakdown of food and its transformation into energy. We eat, eat and eat the word but at some point it need to be turned into energy that fuels us to move on behalf the kingdom. God has given you a seed that has the potential to be an oak tree but without germination…without that water that only He brings it only remains a seed.

Water is needed in photosynthesis to make food. There was a time this semester this semester when I was so low that I could not eat spiritually or receive anything from God or his people. It was in this time that God would bring fresh rains that would feed the very depths of my soul which had felt sucked dry.

It’s interesting that in nutrient transfer water is needed to transfer what is in the soil to the root then up the plant. Soil is so important because it has nutrients but what good are the nutrients if the soil can’t access them. We all have people around us who have a wealth of wisdom. We all have access to elders, pastors, mentors and friends who can intercede for us when we go through tough situations. For me there were many times where I needed God to flood over me and my stubbornness to allow what he has placed in others to flow into and through me in order for me to be able to receive. God uses our dry seasons to prepare us for the next; in order for the flower to eventually bloom it needs transfer of nutrients from the outside in.

In transpiration vapor leaves the plant through its pores. What God has placed in you needs to not just stay in you. What we receive from God (love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness) we must release unto others. It’s interesting that in this process water also cools off the plant. Have you ever been in a hot situation? I mean a HOT situation (finances, divorce, school, trouble, bad decisions)? A situation that you knew you couldn’t handle? Where you knew that only God could cool things down for you? How about when a hot situation causes you worry or anxiety? Where you needed God to cool you off? His rains do just that!

Zachariah 10:1 “Ask the Lord for rain in the spring, for he makes the storm clouds. And he will send showers of rain so every field becomes a lush pasture.”

When I write blogs I know that though people read them not every is touched or feels like this is a word for them. I have a feeling that there is someone who is dry and is needing God to just rain on them. I pray that if that is you that God would send the rains. On your behalf I ask for the rains! I pray that wherever you are as you read this that God would shower you in his presence that his love and mercy would rain down on you. I pray that his rains would saturate every seed he has given you and that you would break forth into purpose and your destiny! I pray that his waters would bring you everything that you need. I pray that every dry place would be moist and that you would experience the downpour of his blessing!

]]>http://every1one.org/2017/04/03/rain-brings-renewal/feed/14752Are You Hangry?http://every1one.org/2015/12/04/are-you-hangry/
http://every1one.org/2015/12/04/are-you-hangry/#respondFri, 04 Dec 2015 19:55:34 +0000http://every1one.org/?p=3788Have you experienced being hangry (so hungry you are angry)? You’re busy and forgot to eat lunch again, and you feel your flesh rise up and demand… a steak, cookies, pizza, it doesn’t really matter, just..SOMETHING..NOW! I have been there too.

“For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.” These are the strange words of Jesus, found in John 6:55. True food…True Drink? Eating and drinking Jesus? What does that even mean?

My children have asked, “Why did God make us to have to eat? Wouldn’t it have just been easier to make us to go without it?” I love the ways children think – What a savings of time and money to not have to eat…and I wouldn’t have to cook it either! But God’s design of our bodies shows us about himself – Jesus is taking a very natural law of needing food to survive and equates it to our need for him. And not only our need for him, but his divine ability to meet it.

G.K. Chesterton said, “Every man who knocks on the door of a brothel is looking for God.” Knocking on the door of a brothel is a symptom of hunger (obviously we are not talking about the stomach growling kind anymore). Is binge watching Netflix a hunger? What about unhealthy relationships or posting that selfie to feel “liked”? For some of us, it actually might be food or some other substance we put into our bodies. We fill ourselves with so many other things so we don’t have to feel the loneliness, so we can forget the pain, and to fight boredom instead of discovering our purpose. Are you so hungry for something you are even a little hangry?

What if we took Jesus at his word? Can he really be what we need, what we desire, what we are desparate for? What would our acceptance of Christ look like so that he penetrates our whole being and satisfies us daily like manna from heaven (John 6:31-32)?

He’s definitely been showing me how I’m hangry, but he is also showing me how to be satisfied with him. Will you ask him to show you too? His promise stands that when we come to him we will never be hungry again.

]]>http://every1one.org/2015/12/04/are-you-hangry/feed/03788Together: A Covenanthttp://every1one.org/2015/11/16/together-a-covenant/
http://every1one.org/2015/11/16/together-a-covenant/#respondMon, 16 Nov 2015 20:52:14 +0000http://every1one.org/?p=3775Try to imagine a business partnership where one partner was responsible for marketing and the other partner was responsible for production and inventory. There would need to be a great deal of communication between the two…i.e.” I just sold 1000 widgets. Do we have that in inventory or do we need to ramp up production?” For success, communication like that would need to be almost continuous. Without communication the business will surely fail.

Our relationship with our Father God is a kind of partnership. We call it covenant but really it is a partnership, (God brings into the partnership a lot more than we do). But communication is still very important.

Now think of another type of earthly partnership (covenant). I’m talking about marriage. Communication is again very important. But so is trust and commitment. Actually, all three are interdependent.

If I had just one piece of advice for building a strong marriage it would be to pray together on a daily basis. Mt. 18:19 says if you agree it will be done. Mt.5:23,24 says we need to settle our differences before we come to the altar (an altar is where we meet God, not necessarily a physical place. It can be anywhere). Amos 3:2 says we need to be in agreement to walk, (eating, sleeping, living) together.

To realize the benefits of Mt. 18:19 you must comply with Mt. 5:23-24. There are many other guidelines for prayer (they are not rules, for we are not under the Law), Too many to cover here, I will mention two:

Read and pray the scriptures. They are the basis of our faith and we need to pray in faith.

Pray in tongues.

God has given us the flaming sword mentioned in Genesis 3 and placed it in our hands (mouth). We do have access to the tree of life . The flaming sword mentioned in Genesis 3, is praying in tongues. Praying with your spouse, in faith and in tongues, is a powerful weapon. We need to use it.

IN ARAMAIC talitha cumi means “little girl, get up.” It’s the language Jesus and his friends probably used when they spoke to each other, so these may well be his actual words, among the very few that have come down to us verbatim. He spoke them at a child’s funeral, the twelve-year-old daughter of a man named Jairus (Mark 5:35-43).

The occasion took place at the man’s house. There was plenty of the kind of sorrow you expect when anybody that young dies. And that’s one of the great uses of funerals surely, to be cited when people protest that they’re barbaric holdovers from the past, that you should celebrate the life rather than mourn the death, and so on. Celebrate the life by all means but face up to the death of that life. Weep all the tears you have in you to weep because whatever may happen next, if anything does, this has happened. Something precious and irreplaceable has come to an end and something in you has come to an end with it. Funerals put a period after the sentence’s last word. They close a door. They let you get on with your life.

The child was dead, but Jesus, when he got there, said she was only asleep. He said the same thing when his friend Lazarus died. Death is not any more permanent than sleep is permanent is what he meant apparently. That isn’t to say he took death lightly. When he heard about Lazarus, he wept, and it’s hard to imagine him doing any differently here. But if death is the closing of one door, he seems to say, it is the opening of another one. Talitha cumi. He took the little girl’s hand, and he told her to get up, and she did. The mother and father were there, Mark says. The neighbors, the friends. It is a scene to conjure with.

Old woman, get up. Young man. The one you don’t know how you’ll ever manage to live without. The one you don’t know how you ever managed to live with. Little girl. “Get up,” he says.

The other use of funerals is to remind us of those two words. When the last hymn has been sung, the benediction given, and the immediate family escorted out a side door, they may be the best we have to make it possible to get up ourselves.

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

I want to take this opportunity to introduce the mission’s team at BCC. I believe that as the Body of Christ Church, we have a unique calling and opportunity to minister and relate to all peoples, tongues, and nations. Every-other month we will endeavor to post testimonies, world news, and upcoming events in order to produce a greater understanding of the Global Church as a whole and our position in it. I’ll begin with a recap of my testimony from Missions Sunday regarding how I became involved in missions.

In the summer of 2009, I was diligently seeking God about what it was that he wanted for my life, but more than anything, I was just spending time with Him and getting to know who He is. I believe that it was out of this relationship that I began to “hear” and comprehend what the Holy Spirit was saying to me. At a youth retreat that fall, I heard His voice telling me to “Go” during an awesome time of praise and worship. That was about all I heard for the next 6 months.

The following April, I was listening to a podcast from my home church and I heard the guest minister mention something about a mission’s organization called “Go InterNational”. At the time I heard it, nothing really clicked, but the next morning something exploded in my spirit and the word from God “go” came back to my remembrance. I immediately googled Go InterNational and a mission’s organization from Wilmore, Kentucky was the first result. I went to their website, saw that they had an internship program and three months later was on a plane with our team to Bogota, Colombia. There we ministered in feeding centers, provided gospel skits and I had the opportunity to preach.

Almost every step of the way, there were opportunities to quit, turn around, or feel uncomfortable because I was outside of my comfort zone. But I knew that God had called me to do this. One night after I had finished giving a message in one of the poor neighborhoods of the city, I remember being on a hilly street that overlooked most of the city. I remember wondering how I had gotten here, but at the same time, having a complete satisfaction in my heart because I knew that I was in the center of God’s will.

We know that there is no partiality with God (Romans 2:11), and that he desires all of us to come to the fullness of his destiny for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11). I pray that BCC’s mission’s teams would be a place where ppl can be conformed to His will and discover the heart of God for this world.

As this year progresses, we will have many chances to experience the “Bigger than me” life that God intends. There will be many opportunities to continue with the status quo, or to take steps of faith, which will lead us to a place of victory that God has ordained.

In regards to the mission’s team, we have three specific that you can begin to get involved:

This July 14-24 will be an opportunity to be a part of the Missions trip to Nicaragua. Our time will be focused upon men’s and children’s –specific ministry with conferences being held for both groups during the trip. The price of the trip is $555 for 7 days or $650 for 10 days, plus the cost of airfare ($600-$800 depending on prices and timing), and $10 for a tourist visa.

Winter of 2016 (January – February) is the projected time period for BCC’s first trip to Uganda. As dates and specifics are still being worked out, we need additional help getting this trip established. If you have a heart for Africa, please consider being a part of this direction.

We are looking for three additional Mission’s Team members who have a desire to reach the world, specific to our areas of focus (Nicaragua and Uganda). The total time commitment would be one meeting a month, as well as some additional time as trips and events come closer.

As I have mentioned before, I strongly believe that as a church body we have the opportunity and the ability (by the power of the Holy Spirit) to reach our global influence beyond what we have experienced to this point. We are strategically located in a town very unique to the state of Iowa, where people from all over the world come to live. Let’s work individually and collectively to create connections which will facilitate the growth of the Kingdom of God!

Mark 16:15-20 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptize will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.” So then after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.“

John Graham

]]>http://every1one.org/2015/06/20/bigger-than-me-continued/feed/03121The Garden of Edenhttp://every1one.org/2015/03/23/the-garden-of-eden/
http://every1one.org/2015/03/23/the-garden-of-eden/#respondMon, 23 Mar 2015 17:24:49 +0000http://every1one.org/?p=2707When I began to ask myself, what is God’s purpose for me and my life and in my struggles, I decided to re-read the Bible starting from the very first chapter, Genesis. In my moments of exploration, God’s original purpose for us began to reveal itself to me. My focus was in the Garden of Eden. I personally believe that it is in the Garden of Eden where we discover what God’s original purpose was for humans. Not only is our purpose to worship God and give glory to his name, but we also have to ask what is our purpose when we are faced with temptations, trials, and tribulations, and what are God’s thoughts toward us?

When we look at the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 1-3 we can begin to see His thoughts toward us. One of the things that I would like to point out is that God is more of a genius, an artist, a realist, a philosopher, a scientist than all those in the world combined just by the things he starts to do in Genesis and finishes in Revelations. If we are really thinking about the Garden of Eden, one of the first thoughts that came to my head was why did God choose a garden out of all places on earth to place the first man and the first woman. Because think about it and think again. He had the option to put man on plot of land, in a house, in a mansion, in a cottage by a lake, in the mountains, or the jungles but NO he chose a garden and there is great significance in that. But why?

Let’s first think of what a garden is with respect to what composes a home or a land. A garden is just one portion on a land. A garden does not take up the whole land and is not included on every land. Typically, with respect to the 21st century, on a plot of land you may find a house with a backyard, a front yard, or a side yard. You may also find fields of crops on some land, but generally the garden is usually the smallest part of the whole plot. Usually, a garden is planted out of leisure, or as an additive way of a food source. Some people plant gardens because they have to, but when we think of the word garden we usually associate it with something people do to relax, to getaway, to supplement. We don’t typically associate “garden” with a negative connotation.

Second, let’s look at things that we can find in a garden: plants, fruits, vegetables, flowers, etc. These are things that provide value to our homes, to our property, and to our health. It brings out colors, brings out life, it is the producer of new life that begins with a seed.

Third, let’s examine how a garden works. Generally speaking, the land used for a garden is tilled, then seeds are planted, then water and minerals are provided in order that the seed can grow and blossom into its respective fruit, vegetable, flower, etc. When we plant a seed, we have to know that a seed cannot grow on its own. We cannot place a seed in the ground, leave it there without providing the necessary nutrients, come back three months later and expect to find the plant. Nor can we place a seed in bad soil and expect it to grow. When we look at the developmental process of a seed to a plant we learn that in order for a seed to grow it must undergo a process called photosynthesis where the germinating seed draws energy from the sun and minerals and nutrients from the soil in order to produce glucose, a sugar, and oxygen which are used in the formation of a growing plant. Without sun and water the seed will not grow but die. After the seed grows, we get to enjoy the product. We eat the fruit and vegetable, and admire the beauty of the flower. However, we have to ask ourselves does every plant make it every time and does every gardener obtain perfection every time?

So let’s head back to the Garden of Eden. When the Bible describes the Garden of Eden it describes it as a paradise, where there is trees, animals, and everything one needs to survive (Genesis 2:6-14). I believe three key things happen in the Garden of Eden that are important in understanding the importance of our purpose and the pain in our struggle. When we look at the Garden of Eden, we notice ONE, God did not create man to be left alone. He gave man a woman, He gave man a friend, He gave man a resource. When we go through the struggles of our life, when we are searching or redefining our purpose, when we are overwhelmed with the stresses of life we have to remember that God’s original purpose of our life was that we do not have to do it alone. There are others, whether you have met them or not, who can help us achieve, find, and fulfill our purpose. Those others can provide us with resources and advice that will help us overcome our daily struggles. They can remind us of the God that we serve. Even the spirit of God was there in that Garden because God did not get us where we are and then leave us alone. NO He chooses to stay beside us, He chooses to dwell amongst us, He chose to send Christ into the world to die for us because WE ARE HIS BELOVED. We were not created to struggle but to find peace and joy in the midst of our struggle and to illuminate the glory of God amidst it all.

The second key point about the Garden of Eden was that God gave us the choice and the authority to overcome every temptation that the enemy brings before us and the ability to redeem ourselves from every mistake we make. Yes, God told Adam AND Eve to stay away from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (accountability is important – point one, God gave us companionship) and yes, the serpent was there and yes, Eve ate from the apple, and yes Adam ate from the apple (Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis chapter 3). But in all of this, we see that we were given a conscience that helps us identify temptation, and we are given the opportunity to redeem ourselves before the most holy God, and we serve a God who understands. Yet, the question sometimes is do we understand the God that we serve.

Here we also see that humans make mistakes and it’s not about the fact that we do make mistakes, but it is how we overcome and avoid making the same mistakes again. We are not perfect. Perfection isbeyond hard to obtain, but I believe God desires that we strive towards EXCELLENCE and obtain wisdom because we were created in the likeness of his image.

The third point that I would like to point out in the Garden of Eden was that it was a Garden. Adam and Eve were like a seed in that garden that required constant nourishment from God who aided them in the photosynthetic process of their growth. And without drawing our wisdom, our strength, our health from God, how do we expect to grow without that Sun and minerals. Another thing about the Garden of Eden was that it was created to be beautiful, it served a purpose of habitation, and sustained through food. And yes in every garden there are worms, other micro agents, and weather that effect the growth of the garden, just like the serpent in the Garden of Eden. However, we must not forget that for every pest there is a treatment and for every problem there is a solution, and where we choose to obtain our solution is also where we are going to find restoration.

Remembering what I said earlier, we tend to associate gardens with leisure, pleasure, and hard work. And we have to remember that God’s purpose for our life is not death, it’s not to not have fun, it’s not to sit at home and watch Netflix and it is definitely not meant to stress out and worry. Because God has created us to be people of purpose and to put us in a place of purpose where we will find peace, where we will find joy before, during, and after our trials and tribulations. I personally believe that God put the first humans in a Garden because he does not want us to worry but to sit back and relax in him. We are created to enjoy the gifts that God has given us and the beauty that God has designed us with because gardens only turn out ugly when they do not receive the nourishments that is required. I encourage all of you to draw the source of your energy from God and see how he transforms the seed of your purpose and desires into the fruits of your labor.

-Ufuoma Ikoba

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http://every1one.org/2015/03/23/the-garden-of-eden/feed/02707Story County Jail Ministry pt. 2http://every1one.org/2015/03/11/story-county-jail-ministry-pt-2/
http://every1one.org/2015/03/11/story-county-jail-ministry-pt-2/#respondWed, 11 Mar 2015 05:37:51 +0000http://every1one.org/?p=2690I want to begin this post by sharing that the impetus for it was provided by Jan. We had a conversation after a meeting last Saturday and she shared some thoughts and asked some questions that got me thinking.

As I have had the opportunity to minister to the inmates at Story County Jail for a little over a year, I find myself always wanting to leave them with the knowledge and understanding of the love that God has for them. Because of their life experience(s) many have not had this communicated to them. As I have listened to the Holy Spirit, I realize that this is a message that cannot be emphasized too much. I can recall several times when I was delivering a sermon and I underscored the truth in this message emphatically. It is something I have come to realize more even as I have conveyed it to others.

Another thing that I have come to realize is that many inmates are dealing with the manifestations of life issues that have a spiritual genesis. I recall one particular time when I was ministering to a group of women and, as I usually do at the end of the service, I asked for prayer requests. One of the women presented a request for another woman who was present at the time. In order to be respectful and also direct my prayer, I asked the latter if there was anything specific I could pray about. She declined to offer any specifics, but as I was praying I had a strong urging from the Holy Spirit to pray in tongues. As I was praying for her specifically, she began to openly weep. I didn’t know what the issue was, but even as I was riding home I felt the need to continue to pray for her. I even encouraged Liz who was giving me a ride home to pray with me. We continued to pray until I felt a release from the Holy Spirit, but this incident created in me a stronger desire to see people freed from the strongholds of the enemy and walk in the freedom that Christ purchased on the cross.

One of the greatest causes for joy is to see inmates released. Their have been several people that I have had the opportunity to meet with and minister to inside and outside of the jail. There is one particular person who has been housed at the jail that has served as an inspiration for the work that I, and many others, are doing. I cannot mention his name, but he has shared the work that God is doing in his life. He is also having the opportunity to live out his life with Christ by sharing the work that God is doing in him with his fellow inmates. He always encourages others to come with him to the services. He even shared an incident he had with another inmate where God called him to realize he needed to apologize for something he said and done. I am always overjoyed and delighted to see the fruit of good works that comes from people when Christ is the center of their life.

In closing, I invite you to pray with me for the ministry work that is going on in the Story County Jail. I also want to offer a thank you to Pastor Knight who recently stepped down as chaplain of the Story County Jail. For all the work you and fellow ministers have done and continue to do, Thank YOU!

]]>http://every1one.org/2015/03/11/story-county-jail-ministry-pt-2/feed/02690A King’s Decreehttp://every1one.org/2015/03/06/a-kings-decree/
http://every1one.org/2015/03/06/a-kings-decree/#commentsFri, 06 Mar 2015 15:47:18 +0000http://every1one.org/?p=2649I hope you don’t check this website everyday looking for this Blog. Hopefully I’m more faithful in other areas of my faith walk than I am in this…

Imagine you are a ‘subject’ in a Kingdom and the King issues a decree stating that you are to love him with all of your being. If you do, he will do good things for you. If you don’t he will make you sick, he will have your children taken away, your crops will fail, he will not defend you against your enemies, your wife will be taken by another, bugs will eat your crops, he will make you sick, your vineyards will not produce grapes and your olive trees will produce no oil. And he will make you sick…did I mention he will make you sick?

There are a few other ways you can mess up, for instance, if you gather firewood on Sunday, the King will have you stoned.
You would really want to love the King, but fear of punishment would always be there.

This all sounds pretty bad, but it’s a summary of Deuteronomy 6 and Deuteronomy 28. I used to think that God, being just and righteous ( and He is ), He would not command us to do something we couldn’t do. But I’ve come to learn the purpose of the Law was to show us we couldn’t do it.

Romans 5:8 tells us “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” He did what we could not do–fulfill the Law. He then went to the cross to take all of the punishment we deserved.

Our part in this is to accept the free gift of His Son, Jesus, through faith and then we can love Him and one another.